Company blamed for La. town's evacuation faced scrutiny before over its handling of explosives

DOYLINE, La. – The explosives recycling company that caused the evacuation of a Louisiana town has come under scrutiny for its handling of dangerous materials before.

It was also so far behind on rent that the Louisiana National Guard refused to lease it more space this year.

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Documents reviewed by The Associated Press show Explo Systems Inc. was cited for safety violations in 2007 after old Army explosives were used in mining operations in West Virginia. A blast there injured one worker and exposed others to toxins.

Explo Systems is currently under investigation for improperly storing millions of pounds of a military propellant at a Louisiana base. That prompted the evacuation of the nearby town of Doyline.

The investigation started after an explosion in October. There was another explosion there in 2006.